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The galapagos lava lizard is the little reptile you will see doing push-ups on the rocks all over the islands. It is the most abundant reptile in Galapagos, it comes in around ten endemic species, and the males really do bob up and down like tiny gym fanatics. Here is what they are, why they do push-ups, and where to spot them. Not sure how to fit this into a trip? Send us your dates and we’ll map out the islands for you.
Galapagos lava lizard at a glance
- Genus: Microlophus — around ten endemic species
- Size: small, about 15-25 cm including the tail
- Sexes: females often have a bright red throat or face; males larger and greyer
- Diet: insects, plus flowers and seeds
- Where: nearly every island, usually one species per island
- Famous for: the males’ territorial “push-up” display
What is it?
The galapagos lava lizard belongs to the genus Microlophus, with around nine to ten endemic species across the archipelago — the widespread one is Microlophus albemarlensis. As a rule, each major island has its own species, another example of the island-by-island evolution Galapagos is famous for. They are slim, with a pointed head and a long tail, and the galapagos lava lizards are the most abundant reptile on the islands.
Why do lava lizards do push ups?
So why do lava lizards do push ups? It is body language. Males bob up and down to defend their territory and warn off rivals — the speed and rhythm of the push-ups carry a message, a bit like waving a flag. When two males meet at a boundary, you will often see a push-up stand-off rather than a real fight. It is one of the most fun behaviours to watch in the islands.
How to tell males from females
Lava lizards show strong differences between the sexes. Females often have a bright red throat or face, while males are larger and greyer. Both can shift colour with mood and temperature, going darker to soak up heat on cool mornings. These are handy lava lizard facts for telling who is who on the trail.
Their role in the ecosystem
Small as they are, lava lizards matter. They eat insects — natural pest control — and also flowers and seeds, helping with pollination and seed dispersal. In turn they are prey for snakes, hawks and herons, making them a key link in the food chain of the genus Microlophus. This is one of the stops on our 6-day Santa Cruz and Isabela land tour.
6-Day Galapagos Land Tour Santa Cruz + Isabela Highlights
From $1,150 p.p.
- Sleep in island hotels, not a cruise cabin
- Local naturalist guides
- Flexible day-by-day island hopping
Where to see it
Almost everywhere — you will not have to try:
- Every inhabited island — Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela and Floreana, along trails and dry scrub.
- Visitor sites and beaches — basking on rocks and lava, often near marine iguanas.
- Española and Fernandina — their own distinct species for the keen-eyed.
Quick facts
A few more lava lizard facts:
- There are about ten endemic species, usually one per major island.
- They are the most abundant reptile in the Galapagos.
- Males do push-ups to defend territory and signal to rivals.
- Females often have a striking red throat or head.
- They can change colour with mood and temperature.
Microlophus: ten lizards, one per island
The genus microlophus holds around nine to ten endemic species, and as a rule each major island has its own. That neat pattern — one island, one lizard — is another small monument to the island-by-island evolution the Galapagos is famous for, and it means the lizard underfoot on Santa Cruz is not quite the same animal as the one on Española. The widespread species is Microlophus albemarlensis, but the differences between island forms keep herpetologists busy.
Whatever the island, the galapagos lava lizards are the most abundant reptile in the archipelago, and the one you are guaranteed to see. Slim, pointed-headed and long-tailed, they look like miniature, sporty versions of the land iguana, and they are everywhere the sun warms a rock.
Why do lava lizards do push ups, in detail
Ask why do lava lizards do push ups and the answer is communication. Males bob up and down to defend a territory and warn off rivals, and the speed and rhythm of the display carry meaning much like a flag or a hand signal. When two males meet at a boundary, the result is usually a push-up stand-off rather than a real fight — a way of settling disputes without anyone getting hurt.
It is one of the most entertaining behaviours to watch in the islands, and once you notice it you will see it everywhere. The bobbing is so characteristic that it has become a kind of signature of the species, performed from prominent rocks where rivals can see it clearly.
Lava lizard facts and how to read them
A few lava lizard facts make field-watching richer. The sexes look different: females often sport a bright red throat or face, while males are larger and greyer, and both can shift colour with mood and temperature, going darker on cool mornings to soak up heat. They eat insects — useful pest control — along with flowers and seeds, and in turn they feed snakes, hawks and herons.
Small as they are, they sit at the centre of the islands’ food web, and you will find them along every trail, on every beach, and often perched cheekily on the head of a basking marine iguana. Learn to read the push-ups and the red throats and even the commonest reptile becomes a window into how these islands work.
There is not really one of these reptiles but many. The archipelago hosts nine distinct species, each evolved in isolation so that, as a rule, no single island carries more than one. They are the most abundant reptiles on the islands, and the differences between island forms — in size, colour and pattern — make them a living textbook of how separation breeds diversity, the same lesson the finches teach with their beaks.
Spend a few minutes near a sun-warmed rock and the territorial theatre begins. Males bob in rapid ‘push-ups’, pressing their bodies up and down to warn off rivals and impress watching females, each population using its own signature rhythm. Females are smaller but often more striking, flushing vivid red or orange across the throat and head, especially when breeding. Catch one displaying against black lava and the contrast is unforgettable.
Their diet shifts with the seasons and what is on offer: mostly insects, spiders and other small invertebrates, rounded out with flowers, leaves and the occasional bite of carrion. In turn they are food for hawks, snakes, herons and mockingbirds, and their best defence is speed plus a breakaway tail that wriggles to distract a predator while its owner darts to safety, regrowing a stubbier version later.
Frequently asked questions
Why do lava lizards do push ups?
Males do push-ups to defend their territory and signal to rival males. The rhythm acts like body language, often settling disputes without a real fight.
How many species are there?
Around nine to ten endemic species in the genus Microlophus, with each major island typically having its own.
How big do they get?
They are small, usually 15 to 25 cm long including the tail, with females generally smaller than males.
Can lava lizards change colour?
Yes. They can shift colour with mood and temperature, often going darker on cool mornings to absorb more heat.
How do you tell males and females apart?
Females often have a bright red throat or face, while males are larger and greyer.
What do lava lizards eat?
They are mostly insectivorous — eating insects, spiders and other small invertebrates — but also take flowers, leaves and occasional carrion. Their diet shifts with the seasons and whatever is most abundant on their island.
Meeting the islands’ busiest little reptile
The galapagos lava lizard proves you do not need to be big to be a star of the islands. Watch for the push-ups, spot the red-throated females, and enjoy the most common — and most charming — reptile in Galapagos.
Read more at the Galapagos Conservation Trust, or meet its bigger cousin the marine iguana and the rest of the cast in Galapagos islands animals.
